See Beyond

The Challenge to See Beyond

In 1944 the Land family was vacationing in New Mexico. As dad, Edwin Land, snapped photos of the beautiful landscape, 3-year-old Jennifer posed the question, “Why can’t I see my picture right now?” As dads do, Edwin described how the film would need to be developed in a dark room, then the negatives would be printed on special paper. Jennifer, probably hearing “blah, blah, blah” asked again, “Why can’t I see my picture now?” Edwin began to think about the question differently– to see beyond the current answer and create one that better satisfied his daughter’s question.

Three years later the Polaroid was born, giving anyone with the camera the ability to produce pictures in an instant. This innovation soon rippled through a multitude of applications – photo IDs, passports photos, ultrasound photos, and continuous technological advancements eventually led us down a path to the selfie world we live in today. Could you conceive of a day when you couldn’t snap a picture and share it instantly with your friends and family?

Our ability to question the conventional, to challenge the usual, to see beyond what’s expected or accepted is what makes us human. And those who aggressively create and adopt new answers are innovators.

Consider how other advancements in technology have drastically changed our lives over the past two decades. DVRs have made watching live TV a thing of the past (save the Super Bowl) and streaming video has made binge-watching a new weekend pastime. And with those advancements come new expectations. How often do you hear something on the radio (if you aren’t listening to Satellite or your Bluetooth connected iTunes) and think, “What do you mean I can’t I rewind that?!”

Not long ago, DNA testing was an incredibly costly process reserved for the wealthy or for criminal investigations. Now, there are dozens of companies offering reports on paternity, genetic genealogy, and risks of diseases, some for under $100 – all because technology continues to evolve and people continue to pose questions and see beyond the currently acceptable answers.

This week we’re introducing an update to our brand – a refined logo and the inclusion of our mantra – see beyond. It’s a reflection of how we approach our business, from the conception of our products to our interactions in our meetings, we challenge each other each day to see beyond. This approach has contributed deeply to forming an extraordinary team who have developed extraordinary new solutions.

We’re thinking about ways to bring eye care to the forefront of people’s minds so they can better understand how their eyes work and age.

We’re developing technology and products that empower families to check their vision more frequently, more conveniently, and more affordably that ever before.

We’re creating ways for those without access to traditional solutions to leverage technology to assess their vision. Through information and technology, people will have more opportunity to improve, prevent or slow the progression of vision challenges.

We’re excited about the opportunity to make a difference in the world and in people’s lives. We invite everyone to join us on this journey – challenge us and challenge each other to see beyond.

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